Wade Wilson has been the Cowboys' quarterbacks coach since Tony Romo took over as the full-time starter in 2007

Receive the latest blue-star updates in your inbox

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been a full participant in OTAs for the first time since 2012 and, coming off a season during which he was regularly held out of practices to rest his aching back, he’s impressed just about everyone at Valley Ranch with just how much he’s done.

“He has way exceeded expectations,” said quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson, per the Dallas Morning News. “We really didn’t anticipate him to practice three days in a row and he hasn’t missed anything. He’s taking the amount of reps he’s supposed to take and he’s throwing the ball with a lot of authority and really engaged with the guys.”

Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is preparing for his second season working with Romo. Last year, under the title of passing game coordinator, Linehan saw Romo put together one of the best seasons of his career: He completed about 70 percent of his passes for 3,705 yards, 34 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions, while leading the Cowboys to the NFC East title and a playoff win for the first time since 2009.

“I just see a veteran who is confident because he’s got the experience and the credibility and the background to be there,” Linehan said of Romo’s offseason work. “What I’m most impressed about is that his confidence comes from preparation. There’s never a time he’s not thinking of the game, he’s not thinking of, ‘If we’re in this situation, what do we do?’

“I think that’s a great part about his game, he’s got that experience, he’s got that football mind that quarterbacks have to have and he has the credibility with his teammates because he’s one of the guys that is going the extra mile to get himself prepared.”